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                        Human Factors
                        eLearning


            
            In This Section
        eLearning: Attention
                The Attention Game
                Attention & Distraction
                                Attention: Definition and Examples
                Tasks & Demands
                Distraction: Definition and Examples
                Strategies to Manage Distractions
                The Cost of Distraction
                                First person: Distraction and its Consequences
                Attention Related Accidents
                BNSF coal train collision
                Metrolink 111 collision with UP. Chatsworth. Sept 2008
                Canadian National collision, Two Harbors MN Sept 2010.
                HiRail collision, Rockville, MD. Jan 2010
                Rear end collision, Mineral Springs NC
                Pedestrian fatality, West Jordan, UT
                Rear end collision, Westville IN
                Derailment, Bronx NY Dec 2013
                Port Authority collision, Hoboken NJ, May 2011
                Santiago de Compostela derailment, July 2013
                Amtrak 188 Derailment May 2015
                Bad Aibling, GER Collision, February 2016
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                Attention: Definition and Examples
    

    
    
          A man checking his phone while driving.What is attention?

Attention is the behavior a person uses to focus the senses, from sight to hearing and even smell. It may focus on information that matters outside of the cab (e.g., signals, traffic), inside the cab (e.g., displays, controls), or on the radio network. Attention to information that is not important is distraction.

Research shows that people have limited attention resources. This means we only have so much capacity to go around. We need to choose what to focus on that matters. For a train operator, focusing on what matters means paying attention to items of interest: the tracks, responding to signals along the route, observing orders, working together with the conductor, and more.

Without the ability to filter out unwanted information, the world would be chaotic. So we have to be selective in what we pay attention to. For instance, dividing attention across multiple tasks results in a loss in performance, which can contribute to incidents or accidents potentially costing loss of life and property.

Example of divided attention

Texting while operating a vehicle requires a driver to switch attention from one task to another. That impairs a driver's ability to focus on the task at hand, resulting in a slower reaction time.

Paying attention to what matters is important to avoid the costly consequences of an accident, whether operating a locomotive, driving a car, flying a plane, or crossing an intersection on foot.

Systems to Monitor Attention: Alerters

What are alerters?

Alerters are vigilance control devices (VCDs) installed in locomotive cabs, in addition to a dead man pedal, to manage drowsiness in locomotive engine crews. Based on engineer behavior, the device will bring the train to a halt in the event the engineer is unable to perform his/her duties.

How do alerters work?

Alerters, in the form of lights and audio signals, are connected to a timer. After a period of operation, visual and auditory signals activate and increase in intensity until the engineer pushes a reset button.  Failure to reset soon enough results in automatic braking and power reduction.

Even with the new generation VCD systems, fatigue and alertness-related incidents and accidents still occur, which demonstrates the need for multiple ways to address attention-related challenges.
              Sources
      
                              
                  
                  Wickens, C. (2015). Engineering Psychology and Human Performance. 4th Edition. New York: Harper Collins.
	A. Kramer, D. Wiegman, & A. Kirlik (Eds.). (2007). Attention: From Theory to Practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
      
    
          Last updated: Tuesday, December 3, 2019 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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